Internal-combustion engine



Aug. 3l 1926. LSQ'O@ E. B. ALBUMS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct.2, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 j gimen/ifo@ E@ Aidouj Aug E. B. ALDOUSINTERNAL coMBUsTroN ENGINE s sheets-sheet s Filed Oct.

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Patented Aug. 3l, 1926.

UNITED STATES EARL B. ALDOUS, OF NORTH CREEK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR FONE'HALF T0 WILLIAM H. FREEBERN, 0F NORTH RIVER. NEW YORK.

IN TERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application led October 2, 1924. Serial No. 741,270.

This invention relates to an improved internal combustion engine andseeks, among other objects, to provide an engine which will be simple inconstruction and embod.-I

but comparatively few parts but which will. nevertheless. be capable ofdeveloping high power.

The invention further seeks to provide an engine incorporating' but asingle rotary valve to control both the intake and exhaust of cachcylinder and wherein wear upon the valves will be automatically taken upas such wear occurs.

A further object of the invention is to provide an engine embodying anovel form of piston and wherein means will be provided for eifectuallylubricating the wrist connection of the piston as well as the bearing ofthe connecting rod at the crank pin.

20 The invention seeks, as a further object` to provide an enginewherein friction will be reduced to a minimum and wherein all movingparts subjected to hard wear will be v constantly lubricated.

535 And the invention seeks, as a still further object to provide anengine which will be silent and smooth in operation.

i Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter and in thedrawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of theinvention,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through one of the cylinders of myimproved engine, the view being taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2 andlooking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view at a right angle to Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the valves; i

` Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows, the valve being removed;

Fig. 5 is a. transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows and particularly showing one ofthe pistons;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken at the level of Fig. 5, butlooking upwardly. and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing one of the roller bearingsemployed.

.\ Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I employ a crankcase 10 through which is journaled a crank shaft 11. Roller bearings 12`are provided for the crank shaft, said rollerv bearings being of thechar acter shown in detail in Fig?. Each of said bearings preferably'comprises a plurality of rollers 13 connected by links 14 at the endsof the rollers to form a chain which may be readily assembled around thecrank shaft. The rollers are provided with beveled end faces 15 andformed on the crank shaft to coact with said faces are annular shoulders16. Accommodating each 4of said bearings is a split sleeve or bushing 17which is likewise formed near its ends with beveled annular shoulders 1Sto coact with the beveled faces of the rollers so that, as will be seen,the rollers will not only sustain the radial load of the crank shaft butwill also coact between the shoulders of the bearing sleeves and theshoulders ofthe crank shaft to sustain any endwise thrust of the shaft,the rollers being so confined that the links at the ends thereof are relieved of any strain. l

Formed in the crank case are openings 19 and resting on the crank caseis a cylinder block embodying a plurality of cylinders 20 smaller indiameter than said openings. The engine may, of course, include anyappropriate number of cylinders and mating with said block is a head 21closing all of said cylinders at their upper ends. Preferably a gasket,as shown, is employed between the head and block to provide a sealedjoint therebetween and prevent the leakage of water from the jackets ofthe head and block. Secured at their lower ends into the crank case atopposite sides of the cylinder block are rods 22 freely accommodated attheir upper end portions through sleeves 23 on the head 21 and screwedupon the upper ends of saidrods are nuts 24 tightly bind ing the headupon the block as well as binding the block upon the crank case. At thelower ends of the cylinders 20, the block is provided at opposite sidesthereof with anges 25 to rest upon the crank case, and as shown in Fig.1, the rods 22 are disposed to abut these flanges as well as the sidesof the block for limiting the block against transverse movement as wellas movement longitudinally'of the crank case. A secure and rigidconstruction is thus provided while, at the same time, the cylinderblock may be readily removed while the head 21 k may be readily detachedfrom the block.

Formed on the head 21 at its upper side is a longitudinally extendinggear case 26 normally closed by a cover 27 and, as shown in Fig. 2, thecover is provided with a filling plug 28. At the upper4 end of each ofthe cylinders 20, the head is formed with a hemi-sphe-rical valve seat29 from which rises an axial bearing 30opening into the gear case 26 andfitting in said bearing is a bushing 31 provided at its upper end with aflange 32 seating against the bottom wall of the gear case. Rotatablyfitting in the valve seats 29 arevhemi-spherical valves 33 having axialstems 34 journaled through .the bushings 31 and splined upon the upperend portions of the stems within the gear case 26- are like meshingvalve gears 35 resting upon the anges 32 of the bushings. Removablyfitting over the upper ends of the stems are spring seats 36 secured bysplit retaining rings 37 fitting in grooves 38 in the stems and bearingbetween the gears 35 and said seats are springs 39 pressing the valves32 upwardly against their seats. Thus, as will be seen, Wear uponthevalves will be automatically taken up as such wear occurs. However, toprevent undue frictional drag upon the valves I provide a means forrelieving the upward thrust of the springs and sustaining a portion ofsuch thrust. At

their upper ends, the valve stem 34 are provided with reduced spindles'40 and screwed through the gear case cover 27 are bearing plugs 41recessed axially to journal said spindles. LThe plugs will thuscooperate with `thebushings 31 to rotatably support the valve stems andvdis osed in thek recesses of the plugs are ball arings 42 coactingbetween the plugs iy and the upper ends of the spindles to sustain theup-thrust of the springs 39. As will be perceived, the

`1 block as well as. the head` 21 lare aligned plugs 41 may be ladjustedfor vrelieving the rictional drag of the valves against the valve seatsas much as desired land screwed.

upon said plugs are nuts y43 locking the plugs in adjusted position. l

At .the forward ends 'of the cylinder tubes 44 and journaledthrough'said tubes and through a bracket 45 within the crank case 10 isa vertical' shaft` 45 yupon rthe Aupper end of which isxed'a pinion 46mesh-V ing with the forward one of the gears35.

Fixed to the lowerend of said yshaftxisa .beveled gear 47 and meshingwith said/gearlisa beveled Agear 48 fixed uponthe crankf shaft-'11.Thus, as will be at,once'under.-l y Stood, the valves n133iwill: berotated jby .the ,crankshaft and'theygearin'gis-}suchw thatf saidvalves; are'turned at a ratio .of-` four tog-one with -respeot to:-said` haft.l At one.v Sdelof the` head-121 fare v sparkplug openings` inwhich Aare removably mounted spark plugs 49 and formed in the loweredges of the valves at diametric points are, as shown in Fig. 3,semi-circular notches 50 to successively register with said openings forpermitting ignition of the fuel charge in the respective cylinders.Opening through each of the valve seats 29 at the o posite side of thehead are, as shown in Figf/i, intake and exhaust passages 51 and 52 andformed in each of the valves to register with the inner ends of saidpassages are intake and exhaust ports 53 and 54. Thus, as will beappreciated in view of the foregoing, the intake and exhaust of theseveral cylinders will be properly controlled by the valves as thevalves revolve.

Removably fitting in the cylinders 20 from the lower ends thereof aresleeves 55 provlded at their lower ends with radial annular anges 56snugly accommodated in the openings -19 of the crank case 10 andextending through said-flanges are cap bolts 57 screwed into the flanges25 of the cylinder block. The sleeves 55 may be of any Aapproved metalto best Awithstand the wear of the engine pistons and, as will beobserved, should any one of said sleeves becomev scored or otherwlseimpaired, it may be readily removed and renewed. Further more, byemploying the sleeve, the cylinder block may, if desired, be of aluminumso that the weight of the engine'may be maintained at a minimum. Theflanges 56 of the sleeves will, of course, cooperate with the walls ofthe openings 19 for centering the cylinders above the crank shaft andlocking the cylinder block in centered position and, asbroughtout inFig. 1, the upper ends of the sleeves extend across the joint betweenthe head 21 and the block some distance .thereabove to touch theloweredges of they valves 33 ymating therewith. The sleeves thus servevto seal thejoint between the head andthe .block so as to prevent theescape of compression` and will also sustain the valves in activeposition Ashould the.

sudati@ in the slaves 5,5 'of the cylinders:

20 are hollow pistons `58, each of which is provided with kan elongated.skirt '59 ofreduced thicknessto define an internal annular `ledge atythe' upl er end vofsaid skirt and openin throng the wall ofy the. pistonat said-'le ge is, as shown Figsj` and-6, a

`veiling ugsf61.. 'Formed injthefv sleeves`55 tous each reach theloweyendot their lst'nikfenear theirglowe'rA ends are irggmfentiau l.spaced vopenings 62 1oca'.t`edfto ,re'gisrv wit y the 011.1321 ends 0flthe Slots" 60 when the pisi 65 having annular flanges 66 fitting snuglywithin the skirts 59 of the pistons to seat flat against the lugs 61 andmating with said plates are like truncated bearing plates 67 havingannular flanges 68 confronting the flanges 66. Interposed between saidflanges are shims 69 and extending through both flanges are boltsscrewed into the pistons medially of the slots 60. Extending be tweenthe pistons and the crank shaft 11 are connecting rods 71 each of whichpreferably comprises, as shown in Fig. 1, a long lower section and ashort upper section having detachable threaded connection with the lowersection. The upper sections of said rods are formed with cupped bearingheads 72 slidably fitting between the coacting bearing plates 65 and-67of the pistons while the lower sections of said rods are provided withbearings 73 to cooperate with the crank shaft. Retained by the bearings73 are roller bearings 74 surrounding the crank pins of the crank shaft,the bearings 74 being identical with the bearings 12. As will be seen,the heads 72 of the connecting rods will, as the pistons reciprocate,shift bet-Ween 'the bearing plates 65 and 67, while wear upon theseparts may be taken up from time to time by removing one or more of theshims 69 and tightening the bolts 70. Formed in the bearing plates 65are axial passages 75 and formed through the connecting rods arepassages 76 adapted to register at their upper endswith the passages 75.

Suitably mounted adjacent to or on the cra-nk case 10 is, as shown inFig. 2, an appropriate oil pump 77 which, in thisinstance, is shown asdriven by the crank shaft 11 through gears 78. Extending from the bottomof the crank case 10 to the pump is an inlet pipe 79 and leading fromthe pump to the gear case 26 isan outlet pipe 80. Leading from the Gearcase through the bearings 30 to open through the bushings 31 arepassages 81. The bearings are further provided with` passages 82 openingthrough the valve seats 29 and leading from the forward end of the gearcase into the uppermost of the tubes 44 is a' passage 83. Extendingfromthe pipe 79 is a pipe 84 and connecting the latter pipe with t echannels 64 of the -cylinders 2() are branch pipes 85. In use, lubricantis, by removing the plug 28, introduced into the gear case 26 when thelubricant will flow through the passage 83 and through the tubes 44 intothe crank case. Accordingly, when the engine is in operation, thelubricant will be drawn from the crank case by the pump 77 and deliveredinto the gear case 26 to gravitate downwardly through the passages 81and 82 for lubricating the valves 33 and valve stems 34 while excess oilwill return to the crank case through the passage 83 and tubes 44. Also,some of the oil traveling in the p1pc will enter the pipe 84 and flowthrough the branches 85 into the channels 64 of the cylinders 20. Fromsaid channels, the oil will, of course, discharge through the openings62 of the sleeves 55 into the cylinders. Thus, when the pistons moveupwardly, the oil entering the cylinders will return through the lowerends of said cylinders to the crank case while, when the portions eachreach the bottom of their stroke andthe sl-ots 60 of the pistons arebrought into register with the openings 62, as previously described, theoil will enter through said slot-s into the cups formed by the bearingplates 65 of the pistons. The openings 62 are arranged at spaced pointsclear around the sleeves 55 in order that should the pistons be causedto rotate for any reason, the slot-s 60 will always register withseveral of said openings when the pistons each reach the lower end oftheir stroke. From the cups of the bearing plates 65 the oil 'will thengravitate downwardly through the passages 75 of said plates forlubricating the joints between the bearing plates 65 and 67 and theheads 72 of the connecting rods, while the oil will also flow.downwardly through the passages 76 of said connecting rods forlubricating the roller bearings 74 at the crank pins of the crank shaft.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a crank case, a cylinder thereon, ahead closing the cylinder, a. valve within the head, a sleeve extendingthrough the cylinder and carried thereby and projecting across the jointformed .between the cylinder and head and engaging the valve and formingsupporting means therefor, and means securing the head to the cylinderand both the head and cylinder to the crank case.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a crank case, a cylinder thereon, ahead closing the cylinder, a valve within the head, a sleeve extendingthrough the cylinder and across the joint formed between the cylinderand the head and engaging the valve to form supporting means therefor,and having an outer flange at its lower end underlapping the lower endof the cylinder and secured thereto, and means clamping the head to thecylinder and the cylinder to the crank case.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a crank case, a cylinder thereon, ahead closing the cylinder, a valve within the head, means for supportingand regulating the seating of the valve, a sleeve carried by thecylinder and extending therethrough and across the joint formed betweenthe cylinder and head and engaging the said valve to form supportingmeans therefor, and means for clamping the head to the cylinder and thecylinder to the crank case.

1i. In an internal. combustion engine, a crank case having an openingtherein, a cylinder resting f upon the crank case at said opening, ahead L closin the cylinder, a sleeve fitting in the cylin er andprovided at its lower end with a flange fitting in said opening andcentering the cylinder with respect thereto, means extending throughsaid flange removably connecting the sleeve with said cylinder, andbolts engaging the head and crank case and clamping the cylindertherebetween.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a

crank case having an opening therein, a cylinder resting upon the crankcase at said opening,a separate head closing the cy1inder, and a sleeve`ftting in the cylinder and provided at its lower end with a flangefitting in said opening and centering the cylinder with respect thereto,the sleeve extending through the cylinder into the head across the )ointbetween the head and cyline 6. In an internal combustion engine, a crankcase having an opening therein, a cylinder resting upon the crank caseatI said opening, a head closing the cylinder and provided with avalveseat, a valve rotatable in said sea-t to control the intake and exhaustof the cylinder, and a sleeve fitting in the cylinder and at its upperend touching the valve mating therewith, the sleeve and said valvecovering the entire inner surf face of the valve seat and cylinder andsaid sleeve being formed at its lower end with a flange fitting in saidopening and centering thecylinder with respect thereto.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

EARL B. ALDOUS.

